Campaigning to curb supermarket power

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Dorridge, Solihull

A campaign group, Dorridge Residents Opposed to Village Superstore, was set up to oppose plans for a new Sainsbury's supermarket in the Forest Court precinct in Dorridge. The group has raised fears over levels of traffic, parking, the impact of service yard deliveries on nearby households and the loss of dozens of mature trees.

The proposal was recommended for approval by Borough planners but in March 2010 around 150 residents turned out to see Solihull Council’s planning committee reject the Sainsbury's application. The committee unanimously ruled out the design and scale as threatening to the “village” atmosphere.

In October 2011 a leading barrister raised serious concerns about Sainsbury’s new plans saying the proposed store is too large and goes against Solihull Council’s planning policy.

In February 2013 responding to mounting pressure Sainsburys announced they were not intending to build the store or renovate the GP surgey in 2013. Sainsburys are also landlord to many independent retailers and now own in excess of 50% of the total retail space in Dorridge. This was sold as a village regeneration yet much of the village remains boarded up with no end in site. Dorridge campaigners have set up a petition to raise awareness of this fact -http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/sainsbury-s-and-other-large-superm...

Campaign UpdatesDorridge, Solihull

9 August 2013

Permission for increased floor space

Solihull Councils planning committee granted permission the supermarket to increase the shop space so that they can also sell none food items - this is on top of the original planning permission for the building of the store at Forest Court Shopping Centre granted last year.